Drug Costs a Difficult Issue
GAO noted that even without “pharmacy benefit manager” arrangements FEHB carriers likely would be able to negotiate some type of …More
Fedweek
Sign up Now! Free eNewslettersPharmacy Savings in FEHB Assessed
Arrangements that Federal Employees Health Benefit program carriers have made to hold down costs of prescription drugs have yielded savings …More
Changes in Senate Also Coming
On the Senate side, the leading advocate of civil service reform in recent years, Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, is set …More
Subcommittee Assignments Shaping Up
Some changes are upcoming in the leadership of the congressional panels that handle civil service policies and spending levels, with …More
Mileage Rates Decreasing Slightly
Mileage reimbursement rates for federal employees using their own automobiles or other vehicles are decreasing slightly, retroactive to January 1. …More
Budget is Just a Starting Point
Whatever figure the White House recommends in its upcoming budget proposal will be only the first step in what often …More
2004 Raise Proposal Could Be Around 2 Percent
With just more than a week remaining before the Bush administration releases a budget proposal for fiscal 2004-the government budget …More
2003 Pay Raise Still Unsettled
Congress hopes to make a final decision soon on whether the 2003 federal pay raise will remain the 3.1 percent …More
OPM’s Preliminary Guidance on FSAs
In addition to the open season, dollar value and tax issues, OPM’s guidance also addresses administrative issues agencies will have …More
Tax Angles Also Specified
In its guidance, OPM said that FSAs will affect employment taxes “identical to premium conversion.” FSA deductions will be excluded …More
FSA Program Starts to Stir
The Office of Personnel Management has issued preliminary guidance to federal agencies on flexible spending accounts, the program to become …More
Union Reaction is Harsh
The two largest federal unions, the American Federation of Government Employees and the National Treasury Employees Union, reacted harshly to …More
Agency Reorganizations Backed
The Volcker Commission-formally, the National Commission on the Public Service–report said the government is “hamstrung by organizations and personnel systems …More
Another Civil Service Reform Proposal Issued
A high-profile commission led by former Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker has issued a report calling for numerous broad-ranging civil …More
Possible New Approaches to Telework
A recent report by the Office of Personnel Management and the General Services Administration found what many similar reports and …More
Unionization Barred at TSA
The Transportation Security Administration has determined not to allow its passenger screeners to unionize, citing national security grounds. The question …More
Davis Named to Key Chairmanship
Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., who represents a district with a substantial federal employee population and who has taken pro-employee positions …More
Fed-Military Pay Linkage Could Be Tested Again
Under a law enacted in 2000, annual military raises through 2006 are to be set a half percentage point above …More
ECI Component Figure is 3.2 Percent
The employment cost index measure for the pertinent measuring period for the January 2004 raise is 3.2 percent. Under pay …More
2004 Pay Raise Battles to Begin Soon
With Congress still at work deciding whether the 2003 federal pay raise will be 3.1 or 4.1 percent, officials already …More
Funding Could Be Tight, Though
One force working against acceptance of a 4.1 percent increase is the desire by the new Senate Republican leadership to …More
Chance for 4.1 Percent Raise Remains
The latest action on the budget, while a disappointment to employee organizations and members of Congress who are pushing to …More
Decision on Raise Deferred Again
Congress has passed the latest in a series of stopgap funding measures for the current fiscal year that effectively leaves …More
Further Information to Come
For now, individuals in the special rate settlement class need do nothing except wait for the letters informing them of …More
Payments in Late 2003 Possible
Under the quickest scenario, payments in the special rate back pay case would begin late in 2003. The exact timing …More
Wait Shortens for Special Raters
Even though a judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims has approved a settlement reached in the two …More
Other Considerations for FLTCIP Applicants
The “retained age” feature of the FLTCIP open season-that is, applicants are deemed to be the age they had attained …More
FLTCIP Applications Still Being Accepted
Although the open season for the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program expired December 31, applications received by the company …More
No Promises on New TSP Computer System
The Thrift Savings Plan still is making no promises regarding when it will make its long-stalled new computer system operative. …More
C Fund Posts Worst Year to Date
The Thrift Savings Plan in 2002 posted the worst calendar year since the TSP’s inception 15 years ago, dropping 22.05 …More
